NHTSA Complaint #10202163 — 2001 BMW 325IX

DUE TO THE MALFUNCTIONING OF THE ELECTRONIC FOR DOOR LOCKS, THE DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK USING THE KEY PAD AND FROM THE CENTRAL CONSOLE LOCK BOTTOM FROM INSIDE THE CAR AND ALSO WITH THE MANUAL LOCK LEVER FROM INSIDE. BUT THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR WILL UNLOCK USING THE KEY MANUALLY FROM OUTSIDE. ONCE THE CAR IS AUTO LOCKED AFTER IT STARTS MOVING, THE DOOR WILL NOT UNLOCK AND OPEN FROM INSIDE WITH THE MANUAL LEVER, EXCEPT THE DRIVER SIDE. THE CENTER COSOLE SWITCH WILL NOT UNLOCK ANY DOORS EXCEPT THE CARGO HATCH. MAIN SAFETY ISSUE IS AS FOLLOW: THE REAR SEAT AND FRONT RIGHT SIDE PASSENGERS CANNOT UNLOCK THEIR DOORS USING THE MANUAL LEVER ON THE DOOR. THIS CAN BE VERY DANGEROUS IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY. THIS FAILURE LOCKS THE OCCUPANTS OF THE CAR UNLESS THEY CRAWL TO THE DRIVER SIDE OR TO THE BACK CARGO DOOR. I HAVE NOT YET TAKEN THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. BUT I THOUGHT BMW NEEDS TO FIX THIS ON ALL CARS BEFORE SOME ONE GETS TRAPPED IN THE CAR AND CANNOT GET OUT TO SAFETY OR ESCAPE FROM THE CAR, IF THEY NEED TO. THANKS SINCERELY AMIT R PATEL *TR